It sometimes occurs that, in devices that attempt to match fingerprints or similar data structures, even after collecting fingerprint or similar information, there might be a relatively large number of possible data structures with which to match that information. For example, in matching fingerprint information, there might be a relatively large number of fingerprints, fingers, or finger orientations, with which to match that information.
It also sometimes occurs that, in devices that attempt to match fingerprints or similar data structures, even after collecting fingerprint or similar information, there might be a relatively large number of possible offsets or orientations with which to match that information. For example, in matching fingerprint information, each finger might have more than one possible orientation at which it can be matched. This can have a first result that there might be a relatively large number of fingerprint orientations with which to match that information. The can also have a second result that there might be a substantial cost to rotate a set of fingerprint information that has been recorded in a first orientation, into a second orientation to compare with retrieved fingerprint information.
It also sometimes occurs that, in devices that attempt to match fingerprints or similar data structures, even after collecting fingerprint or similar information, there might be a relatively large cost to retrieving stored information when attempting to match stored information with retrieved fingerprint information. For example, in devices that maintain fingerprint or similar information in an encrypted form, there could be substantial cost involved, such as time requirements to computed the decrypted information, such as power requirements to perform the computation, or otherwise.
Each of these examples, as well as other possible considerations, can cause one or more difficulties as a result of excessive cost (such as time or processing power required) to match fingerprints when it is desired to do so. For example, It might be desirable to perform fingerprint matching, or matching of other information such as other biometric information, as rapidly as possible, so as to provide greater ease of use.